Charanag – Just Another Town, Across The Mountains

Want to visit a less visited, offbeat place in Manali? Visit Charanag in Hallan Valley.

When you’ve been travelling for long enough, you start calculating the benefits. You wonder whether your travels have made you a better person and whether all these journeys, that you’ve so far taken, have given you a deeper understanding of yourself – from within, and without

I found myself pondering over such infinite and boundless thoughts too as I decided to stay yet another day in Charanag, in Hallan Valley – a small village in Himachal, secluded from the the-road-much-taken towards Manali – where I ended up being the (only) tourist in the entire town.

Though in my mind I’ve always been a drifter, it’s places like these, that slow down my movement.

Charanag, and the entire Hallan Valley, was one of the least visited places in Manali, and I was happy that I found it. No wonder, it was one of the most peaceful places to visit near Delhi.

Charanag, Hallan Valley

As I wandered through its small, cosy alleys it struck me that going slow, and sometimes going nowhere at all, and just sitting still – killing every minute as it approaches you, with a new challenge – is the best of all joys.

And here, in places like these, you find that joy. The joy in sitting still. I studied locals and followed their cultural routine to each day’s end – while being amazed, almost incessantly, at their overall lifestyle altogether.

“Life here, is good,” said a voice inside me, as I found it escaping me, no more. I have no plans, as I go about my every day here. Talking to locals, and sometimes, going on long and exciting walks with them were the only few tasks.

I feel as far from the bustling life in Delhi as I geographically am.

I feel like I’m here and now. I’m this moment. I’m this thought. I refuse to dwell on what has been or what might be. And that’s what my travels, and places like these, have taught me – to live free.

As I write these words while overlooking Charanag, in Hallan Valley, and a few other neighbouring villages, I only remember the words of Robert Frost…

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by”

Charanag is a small town situated 30 km away from Manali, in Hallan Valley. To me, it appeared as an offbeat and very less visited place in Manali. The entire Hallan Valley also made for a great place to experience camping in Manali.

Home to a few dozen houses, the town offers a perfect tranquil atmosphere to those looking for a rural respite in the beauty of Himachal Pradesh.

Since Charanag, and the entire Hallan Valley, has no tourist infrastructure, come here not just for its fantastic views and fresh air but for a 100 percent local experience. When you are in Charanag you will be the only tourist/or a group of tourists around. It is one of the most offbeat Manali places.

Further Reading about Charanag and Hallan Valley & surrounding, here: Hallan Valley.

If you are interested in staying in one such original Himachali House during your visit to Manali, I can recommend Footloose Camps in Hamta Valley, 7km from Manali Mall Road. Check out the video below, and connect with them on Instagram (Check FOOTLOOSE DEV). You can also send them an enquiry on Whatsapp: 8800763430.

Also, read Himachal Pradesh Travel Guide for more such offbeat places. 

If you have been to Hallan Valley or Charanag before, please leave a comment below, I would love to hear your thoughts.